Written Answers Friday 24 March 2006

Scottish Executive

Access for People with Disabilities

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with bus operators regarding the provision of disabled access and wheelchair facilities on bus services.

Tavish Scott: The Executive always makes clear in discussions with transport operators the importance of meeting their obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act. The timetable for provision of accessible buses and coaches is set under legislation reserved to Westminster. It has been agreed in discussion with the transport industry and the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee.

Agriculture

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been paid in compensation to farms affected by emergency prohibition orders related to the Chernobyl incident in each year since 1999.

Ross Finnie: The total amount of compensation paid to Scottish farmers since 1999 as a result of the Chernobyl incident amounts to approximately £398,000. Details for each financial year are set out in the following table.

  

 Year
£


 1999-2000 
£64,000


 2000-01 
£60,000


 2001-2002
£61,000


 2002-03 
£63,000


 2003-04 
£57,000


 2004-05 
£49,000


 2005 to date
£44,000

Autism

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to implement the Declaration of the European Parliament on the Charter of Rights for People with Autism, as adopted by the European Parliament on 9 May 1996, and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.

Lewis Macdonald: The European Charter for people with autism is based on the principle that people with autism spectrum disorders should share the same rights and privileges enjoyed by all of the European population where such are appropriate and in the best interests of the person with autism. This principle underpins the Scottish Executive’s work to implement the recommendations from the Public Health Institute of Scotland’s Needs Assessment Report for people with autism spectrum disorders.

  A number of rights outlined in the European Charter relate to freedom from abuse, neglect, exploitation or coercion. The proposals in the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Bill aim to safeguard these rights.

Bridges

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-23756 by Tavish Scott on 13 March 2006, whether it expects the Forth Estuary Transport Authority "to prepare and implement a strategy for transportation" and, if so, how the strategy will be funded, in light of the Minister for Transport’s statement that "Before any toll increase is introduced on the Forth bridge, travellers need to see the completion of visible improvements" ( Official Report c. 23596).

Tavish Scott: It is a matter for the FETA Board to consider how it will take forward its local transport strategy.

  As I said in my statement to Parliament on 1 March 2006, the Scottish Executive wants to concentrate on taking a strategic approach to improving all public transport in the region. That work will involve the Scottish Executive and Transport Scotland, working alongside FETA, local authorities and regional transport partnerships.

Care Homes

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will meet staff and patients of the Church of Scotland’s Keith Lodge care facility in Stonehaven to discuss the proposed closure of the facility on 31 May 2006.

Lewis Macdonald: Keith Lodge is an independent care facility and the proposed closure is for commercial reasons. It would therefore not be appropriate for the Scottish Executive to meet staff and patients. It is for the local commissioners of care to decide on the level of provision required to meet local needs. Should Keith Lodge close, it will be for the local authority to work with users and families to ensure they are provided with suitable alternative services.

Cities

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what identifiable improvements have resulted from the allocation of the Cities Growth Fund.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Cities Growth Fund is supporting a wide range of projects to provide or improve facilities and infrastructure in and around Scotland’s six cities. These include, for example, the Hermiston park and ride facility on the outskirts of Edinburgh, the refurbishment of a number of parks and gardens in Aberdeen, and the Clyde Gateway project in Glasgow. Annual reports prepared by each city council describing the various outcomes achieved to date are published on the Building Better Cities section of the Executive’s website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/Cities/Cities .

  The Cities Growth Fund has also brought other sorts of improvements. For example, it has acted as a catalyst for both City-Region and regional partnership working; it has supported the development of strategic capacity at the City-Region level (such as in the Clyde Valley Community Planning Partnership which covers Scotland’s largest City-Region), and it has led to greater inter-city collaboration (such as between Edinburgh and Glasgow which will help both cities to compete successfully in global markets).

  Many of the improvements resulting from the funding provided are long term in nature and an independent assessment of the impact of the fund will take place during the second half of 2006-07.

Concessionary Travel

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether delivery of the nationwide concessionary travel scheme passes to those who have applied for them will be completed by 1 April 2006.

Tavish Scott: We have made it clear throughout that the best way to ensure that individuals have the National Entitlement Card which they will need to access the Scotland-wide Free Bus Scheme was to submit their applications early. We will make every effort to ensure that everyone who submitted a valid application before 20 March 2006 will receive their entitlement card by 1 April 2006. Those who for whatever reason do not have a new Entitlement Card by 1 April will be able to use their old travel card for local travel for a limited period of time thereafter.

Culture

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why it campaigned to have Edinburgh named UNESCO City of Literature.

Patricia Ferguson: To achieve for Edinburgh and for Scotland international recognition as a world centre for literature and literary activity and creativity.

Culture

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give details of the funding it has provided in relation to Edinburgh’s naming as UNESCO City of Literature.

Patricia Ferguson: The Executive provided £70,000 for the two year period 2005-07 on a one-off basis, matching the contribution from the City of Edinburgh Council. A further £58,000 was provided by the Scottish Arts Council.

Education

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any on-going teacher training programmes to enable teachers to recognise the symptoms of Tourette Syndrome or associated disorders in children.

Robert Brown: This information is not held centrally.

Equal Opportunities

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will be represented on an Equal Opportunities Commission investigation into pay inequalities in Scottish local government.

Malcolm Chisholm: As far as the Scottish Executive is aware there is no Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) investigation into pay inequalities in Scottish local government currently underway.

  However, the EOC did launch a general formal investigation into the role and status of classroom assistants in Scottish primary schools on 23 January 2006. The investigation will run for 12 months and is based on recent EOC pilot research indicating that classroom assistants are an example of jobs that are undervalued because they involve skills linked with domestic and caring roles, historically associated with women.

  To inform and complement the work of the investigation, the EOC has established an advisory board. Key stakeholders will participate in the advisory board, including representatives of the Scottish Executive’s Education Department.

European Funding

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-23196 and S2W-23198 by Allan Wilson on 10 March 2006 and notwithstanding the fact that it is awaiting decisions on the new European structural funding regulations, what arrangements have been made with the HM Treasury for the treatment of EU receipts within the Scottish Assigned Budget in 2006-07, 2007-08 and beyond.

Allan Wilson: In 2006-07 and subsequent years structural funds income from the European Union will be offset against the Scottish Assigned Budget to fund expenditure incurred under the relevant regulations.

European Funding

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total sum of European Structural Fund spending was in Scotland in each financial year since 1999, broken down by programme.

Allan Wilson: Current Programmes for European Structural Funds in Scotland run from 2000-06 and are allocated in line with the European Commission’s financial year which runs on a calendar year.

  The following information is the amount in pound sterling allocated under European Structural Funds, broken down by programme, for the years 2000-05.

  European Structural Spend

  

 Programme
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003


 East ERDF
 0
 1,485,274
 12,686,094
 38,125,002


 South ERDF
 0
 715,645
 6,266,524
 6,595,145


 West ERDF
 290,850
 258,311
 7,789,352
 73,113,760


 West ESF
 0
 209,905
 1,242,014
 8,248,473


 Objective 3
 0
 12,565,824
 28,517,807
 52,612,903


 H & I ERDF
 134,887
 1,305,997
 15,217,610
 19,576,797


 H & I ESF
 0
 4,337,085
 10,127,219
 5,365,962


 Urban II
 0
 0
 11,655
 844,854


 Leader +
 0
 0
 95,731
 3,883,723


 Totals
 425,737
 20,878,041
 81,954,006
 208,366,619



  European Structural Spend

  

 Programme
 2004
 2005
 2000-05


 East ERDF
 26,524,164
 25,123,094
 103,943,628


 South ERDF
 4,655,564
 7,865,666
 26,098,544


 West ERDF
 49,350,966
 42,031,336
 172,834,575


 West ESF
 6,856,528
 5,991,833
 22,548,753


 Objective 3
 53,376,709
 53,518,387
 200,591,630


 H & I ERDF
 24,826,271
 20,582,225
 81,643,787


 H & I ESF
 4,255,364
 4,108,291
 28,193,921


 Urban II
 1,806,523
 1,553,255
 4,216,287


 Leader +
 3,493,638
 739,159
 8,212,251


 Totals
 175,145,727
 161,513,246
 648,283,376

Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fire certificates have been issued by the fire and safety authorities since 1997 (a) in total and (b) annually under sections 5 and 8 of the Fire Precautions Act 1971 (as amended).

Hugh Henry: The number of fire certificates issued by fire authorities in each year from 1997-98 to 2004-05 (the most recent data available) and in total, is set out in the following table:

  

 Year
 No. of Fire Certificates Issued


 1997-98
 731


 1998-99
 724


 1999-2000
 639


 2000-01
 484


 2001-02
 717


 2002-03
 564


 2003-04
 472


 2004-05
 264


 Total
 4,595

Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many enforcement notices have been issued by the fire and safety authorities since 1997 (a) in total and (b) annually in accordance with regulation 13 of the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 (as amended).

Hugh Henry: Information is not held centrally on the number of enforcement notices issued by fire authorities in respect of 1997-98 and 1998-99. However, the number of notices issued in each year from 1999-2000 to 2004-05 (the most recent data available) and in total, is set out in the following table:

  

 Year
 No. of Enforcement Notices


 1999-2000
 4


 2000-01
 1


 2001-02
 6


 2002-03
 5


 2003-04
 12


 2004-05
 11


 Total
 39

Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prohibition notices have been issued by the fire and safety authorities since 1997 (a) in total and (b) annually in accordance with regulation 12 of the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 (as amended) and section 10 of the Fire Precautions Act 1971 (as amended).

Hugh Henry: The number of prohibition notices issued by fire authorities in each year from 1997-98 to 2004-05 (the most recent data available) and in total, is set out in the following table:

  

 Year
 No. of Prohibition Notices


 1997-98
 9


 1998-99
 27


 1999-2000
 2


 2000-01
 7


 2001-02
 4


 2002-03
 3


 2003-04
 6


 2004-05
 6


 Total
 64

Foster Care

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in increasing the number of foster carers across Scotland.

Robert Brown: We are providing an additional £12 million funding to local authorities over two years to enable them to improve recruitment and retention of foster carers, and to increase placement choice. We will receive the first progress reports from local authorities in July 2006.

Foster Care

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to produce a protocol for foster carers.

Robert Brown: We have no plans to produce a protocol for foster carers.

Health

Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce legislation so that compensation paid to the families of mesothelioma sufferers in Scotland is paid on an equal basis to that paid in England and Wales.

Hugh Henry: It is a matter for the courts in each jurisdiction to reach a view on the appropriate level of payment in individual cases. There are differences between the law of damages in Scotland and that in England and Wales. In Scotland, the Damages (Scotland) Act 1976 provides that where a person dies as a result of personal injury the deceased’s family may be entitled to claim damages for patrimonial loss and/or non-patrimonial loss. Patrimonial damages are awarded for loss of financial support, while non-patrimonial damages are awarded as compensation for distress and grief or for the loss of the deceased’s society. Only the "immediate family" is entitled to sue for non-patrimonial loss. We have recently legislated to update the list of persons who make up the deceased’s immediate family, for example to include same-sex partners, grandparents and siblings.

  There is no claim for non-patrimonial loss in England and Wales. Instead, the Fatal Accidents Act 1976 provides for an entitlement to a bereavement claim, of fixed amounts, for a more limited range of relatives.

  If the member has any concerns on specific aspects of damages law in Scotland I will be glad to hear more about them. In the meantime, the Scottish Executive has no plans to introduce legislation covering this area of the law.

Housing

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much (a) was spent on repairing, renovating, building and otherwise improving Glasgow City Council’s housing stock in each of the five financial years before wholesale housing stock transfer and (b) has been spent by Glasgow Housing Association in each year since transfer, expressed in totals, categories and expenditure per unit.

Malcolm Chisholm: Direct comparisons cannot always be made between Glasgow City Council (GCC) and the Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) with regard to specific items of expenditure (see footnote to the following table).

  

 Glasgow City Council
 1998-99
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03


 Repairs and Maintenance (£ Million)
 71
 71
 76
 94
 99


 (per unit) £
 714
 746
 849
 1,111
 1,209


 Capital Investment Programme (£ Million)
 57
 56
 62
 74
 80


 (per unit) £
 578
 590
 697
 877
 973


 GHA
 03/04
 04/05
 
 
 


 Repairs and Maintenance (£ Million) (incl VAT)
 48
 57
 
 
 


 (per unit) £
 617
 778
 
 
 


 Capital Investment Programme (£ Million)
 56
 118
 
 
 


 (per unit) £
 711
 1,602
 
 
 



  Note: GCC categorise expenditure on a number of items (concierge services, hostels, and revenue contributions to capital expenditure) within its repairs and maintenance expenditure, none of which is included in the GHA figures. Also GCC incurred additional repairs and maintenance expenditure in 2001-02 and 2002-03 upgrading accommodation for asylum seekers.

Housing

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was available to Glasgow City Council to spend on council housing in each of the five years before whole scale housing stock transfer; what level of funding has been available to the Glasgow Housing Association since stock transfer, and what proportion of the budget of each organisation was underspent in each financial year since stock transfer.

Malcolm Chisholm: It is not possible to quantify the total amount available for investment in the housing stock as both Glasgow City Council and the Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) have used rental income to part fund their capital programmes.

  Since the housing stock transfer the GHA has reported a shortfall between budgeted and actual capital expenditure of £55 million in 2003-04 and £5.5 million in 2004-05.

Learning Difficulties

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how accessible respite care should be for young people with learning difficulties.

Robert Brown: The Executive is investing record levels in social care, including the accessibility of respite provision. In particular, local authorities receive £16 million per annum from the Change Fund to help implement the recommendations in The same as you? review of services for people with learning disabilities. One of the recommendations is for further development of short breaks for people with learning disabilities.

  The Executive also supports parents in accessing respite care for their children through the promotion of direct payments. A working group drawing on the expertise of multiple sectors will be convened later in the year to examine barriers to the greater provision of direct payments, as well as means of empowering parents through this mechanism.

Ministerial Correspondence

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Environment and Rural Development will reply to Alex Salmond MP’s letter dated 2 February 2006 regarding Macduff Harbour Development.

Ross Finnie: There is no record of a letter from Alex Salmond dated 2 February 2006 regarding Macduff Harbour but my reply to a letter of that date from the member on this subject was sent on 20 March 2006.

Nuclear Power

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the Sustainable Development Commission’s latest publication, The role of nuclear power in a low carbon economy, particularly with reference to its finding that there are no long-term solutions to the disposal of waste, and what impact this will have on the Executive’s stated position that it opposes the construction of new nuclear power stations in Scotland until the issue of waste management has been resolved.

Allan Wilson: The Executive is aware of the Sustainable Development Commission’s latest publication on nuclear power.

  The Scottish Executive position on nuclear power remains that we will not support the construction of new nuclear power stations while waste management issues remain unresolved.

Police

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers have been convicted of summary offences, broken down by (a) police force and (b) type of offence.

Cathy Jamieson: This information is not held centrally and is a matter for individual chief constables.

Prescription Charges

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the exemption list for NHS prescription charges was last amended and how many times it has been reviewed in the subsequent period.

Lewis Macdonald: The criteria for exemption from NHS prescription charges fall into three main categories. The list of chronic medical conditions that confer exemption from prescription charges was agreed with the medical profession in 1968. In the intervening period there has been no consensus for change. For exemption on financial grounds the schemes that either enable or passport exemption status are subject to annual review, as are the thresholds or monetary amounts at which exemption is triggered. The only amendment to exemption on age grounds was in October 1995 when the age exemption for men was reduced from 65 to 60.

Prescription Charges

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it hopes to be able to exempt people with cystic fibrosis from prescription charges as a result of the current consultation on prescription charges.

Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-24094 on 23 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Prison Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21860 and S2W-21861 by Cathy Jamieson on 20 January 2006 and without making specific reference to the terms of the contract between the Scottish Prison Service and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd, what distinction it makes between "failure to meet a particular contractual commitment" and "a breach of contract", which it defined as being distinct from one another in the answer to question S2W-20863 by Cathy Jamieson on 29 November 2005.

Mr Tom McCabe: The distinction between a failure to meet particular contractual commitments and breaches of contract generally is one that relates to the remedies that may be available against a contractor, and is determined by the terms of individual contracts. For example, the imposition of costs or actions on contractors for failure to meet specific commitments (e.g. required service levels) is a common feature of many contracts. This approach can ensure that there are direct and effective consequences against a contractor which fails to meet the commitments agreed in the contract. In other words, failure to meet specific contractual commitments can have consequences that are not treated as a breach of contract. Failure to comply with terms of the contract where no specific consequences are provided for, where penalties exceed specified levels or the appropriate remedial action has not been taken within a specified time, would be treated as being a breach of contract in relation to which the remedies normally available at law may be pursued.

Radioactive Waste

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what tonnage of radioactive waste was stored in Scotland at 31 December (a) 2005 and (b) 1955.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what tonnage of radioactive waste was stored in Scotland at 31 December 2005, broken down into (a) high-level, (b) intermediate-level and (c) low-level waste.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what tonnage of (a) high-level, (b) intermediate-level and (c) low-level radioactive waste is stored in Scotland, broken down by location.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what capacity is available for the storage of (a) high-level, (b) intermediate-level and (c) low-level radioactive waste, broken down by location.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what tonnage of low-level radioactive waste has been produced in Scotland each year since 1999 and what locations were the source of this waste.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what tonnage of intermediate-level radioactive waste has been produced in Scotland each year since 1999 and what locations were the source of this waste.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what tonnage of high-level radioactive waste has been produced in Scotland each year since 1999 and what locations were the source of this waste.

Ross Finnie: This is a matter for all producers of radioactive waste. The information requested is not held centrally. The 2004 UK Radioactive Waste Inventory which provides comprehensive and up-to-date information on the radioactive wastes that exist and are predicted to be produced in the UK is available at http://www.nirex.co.uk/foi/ukinvent/ .

Rail Network

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest estimated date is for reopening the Airdrie to Bathgate rail line.

Tavish Scott: We expect services to be operational on the re-opened line in 2010.

Rail Network

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on whether there are any plans to give control of rail signalling to rail operators.

Tavish Scott: There are no current plans to change the responsibility for signalling.

  Transport Scotland will continue to look to Network Rail to work in partnership with train operating companies to get the best performance from the network.

  Transport Scotland provides advice to ministers on rail matters and can be contacted for more information.

Rail Services

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to reduce rural and peripheral rail services similar to those proposed by the Secretary of State for Transport.

Tavish Scott: No.

Rendition Flights

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the veracity is of the report in the Sunday Mail on 26 February 2006 that the Minister for Justice has pledged in an address to the Labour Party’s Scottish conference to stop Scottish airports being used to facilitate the process of "extraordinary rendition" by US agencies and, if the report is accurate, how the Executive will achieve this.

Cathy Jamieson: What I said on the subject of rendition at the Labour Party’s Scottish Conference was as follows: "On rendition flights. I would like to thank Glasgow Central Constituency and TSSA for bringing forward the resolution this morning. Serious allegations have been made, and I understand why people are concerned. Let me be very clear - torture in any form is not only abhorrent it is also illegal, and that is properly a matter for the police and the courts. We have made it clear that along with our Westminster colleagues we will co-operate with the various inquiries that are currently being undertaken." I have nothing to add to that.

Rendition Flights

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has discussed with Her Majesty’s Government the results of any inquiries it has had in respect of reported co-operation with US rendition operations being illegal to establish whether there are any links between these reports and the allegations that US agencies have used Scottish airports as refuelling stops for flights engaged in the process of "extraordinary rendition", in light of a report in the Guardian on 21 January 2006 that a briefing paper sent by the Foreign Office to the Prime Minister’s Office suggested that Her Majesty’s Government should be making such inquiries.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21577 by Cathy Jamieson on 22 December 2005, whether it is unaware of evidence to support allegations that the flights in question have involved any criminal activities due to a lack of police investigation into torture flights in the first instance and how the Executive would become aware of such evidence without a police investigation.

Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-23994 on 16 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Rendition Flights

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has met representatives of the human rights group, Liberty, or plans to meet them, in respect of the allegations that US agencies have used Scottish airports as refuelling stops for flights engaged in the process of "extraordinary rendition".

Cathy Jamieson: I have no plans for such a meeting. The Scottish Executive has not approved and will not approve a policy facilitating the transfer of individuals through Scottish Territory or airspace to places where there are substantial grounds to believe they would face a real risk of torture. The Scottish Executive is not aware of any credible and reliable information to support allegations that Scottish airports are being used for such transfers.

School Transport

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued in respect of the fitting and use of seat belts on all school bus services.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive issued revised guidance on school transport issues to local authorities in August 2003. The guidance sets out the statutory requirements relating to the fitting and wearing of seat belts in minibuses, buses and coaches used to transport children on organised school trips, including journeys between home and school. It suggests that local authorities may wish to consider, when negotiating contracts for school transport, whether to require that vehicles are fitted with three point seat belts rather than the minimum statutory requirement of lap belts. It also encourages authorities to consider how they might best encourage pupils to wear seat belts for their own comfort and safety.

Social Work

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the purpose is of the Changing Children’s Services Fund and what sort of social work services it (a) funds and (b) does not fund.

Robert Brown: The Changing Children’s Services Fund was established to help local authorities and their partners, including NHS boards and the voluntary sector, deliver better outcomes for children and young people through improving the integration and effectiveness of local services.

  Guidance sets out broad objectives and criteria for the Fund but local agencies have considerable discretion and flexibility to decide which services should be supported to meet local requirements. The guidance is at:  www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Young-People/children-services/17842/10263.

Solicitor General for Scotland

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Solicitor General provides advice to its Cabinet on political as well as legal matters and whether she has done so in the past.

Cathy Jamieson: The Solicitor General does not provide advice on political matters. The Solicitor General attends Cabinet whenever the Lord Advocate is unable to in order to provide legal advice where it is sought.

Special Educational Needs

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to provide financial support for respite care for younger people with learning difficulties.

Robert Brown: The Executive is investing record levels in social care, including respite provision. In particular, local authorities receive £16 million per annum from the Change Fund to help implement the recommendations in The same as you? review of services for people with learning disabilities. One of the recommendations is for further development of short breaks for people with learning disabilities.

  The Executive is also examining ways of promoting financial control mechanisms for parents of younger people with learning difficulties such as direct payments. A working group drawing on the expertise of multiple sectors will be convened later in the year to examine barriers to the greater provision of direct payments.

Sport

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations will be represented on the group reviewing Sport 21 and what the independent membership of the group will be.

Patricia Ferguson: The short life working group, which was established to oversee the development of a delivery plan for Sport 21, is chaired by the Scottish Executive and its members have been drawn from  sportscotland, local government, Scottish sport governing bodies, COSLA and VOCAL; the organisations which have key responsibility for delivering Sport 21.

Sport

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what duties apply to  sportscotland in relation to ensuring that, in the exercise of its functions, it has to protect and enhance the environment and wildlife.

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to  sportscotland in relation to its duties to protect and enhance the environment and wildlife.

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what training has been undertaken by the board members and staff of  sportscotland in relation to their responsibilities to protect and enhance the environment and wildlife.

Patricia Ferguson: Sportscotland is subject to the same environmental duties and responsibilities which apply to the public sector in Scotland in general. In addition, the Minister for Environment and Rural Affairs wrote to all non departmental public bodies in August 2004 requesting that each body audit its current environmental impact and develop an environmental management policy to seek to improve environmental performance on an on-going basis.

  Sportscotland has commissioned Natural Capital Ltd to advise on the development of its environmental management system. Sportscotland officials have also made use of the information and advice available to them through seminars and information sessions organised by the Executive as well as the web-based guidance to public sector bodies on delivering the biodiversity duty imposed by the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004.

  The need for training of its staff and board members is one key issue being considered by sportscotland as it develops its environmental management system. Staff have been made aware of the on-going policy development and have attended briefing sessions. The board has also reviewed and adopted an Environmental Policy Statement.

Sustainable Development

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons were for the establishment of Forward Scotland.

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive who appoints the directors of Forward Scotland.

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the sources are of Forward Scotland's income and what proportion of it is derived from the Executive or its agencies.

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to ensure that its grants, or other payments, to Forward Scotland are subject to ministerial and parliamentary scrutiny.

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it gives any guidance to Forward Scotland in relation to the operation of its functions.

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive under what legislation it established Forward Scotland and whether it operates as a public body in respect of general duties to protect the environment.

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive to whom Forward Scotland is accountable for the expenditure of funds provided by the Executive.

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of funding provided by it to Forward Scotland was spent on administration in each year since 1996 and what measures it has in place to ensure that this is comparable to the proportion of funding spent on administration by public bodies.

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what activities it funds Forward Scotland to carry out and what its reasons are for not selecting public bodies to carry out these functions.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive provides development funding to Forward Scotland to further a range of sustainable development activities. The allocation for 2005-06 is £381,389, reducing to £333,338 in 2006-07. This funding is subject to Executive conditions of grant, including discussion and agreement on the outcomes to be achieved.

  This grant funding is made through the Sustainable Action Fund. The fund supports sustainable development in Scotland in partnership with a wide range of public and private sector bodies. Forward Scotland is one of those partners but not to the exclusion of others.

  Payments are made under Section 153 (1) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Ministers are accountable to the Scottish Parliament for this expenditure.

  Forward Scotland manages the Community Environmental Renewal Grant Scheme (CERS) on behalf of the Scottish Executive. The Company was awarded this contract following an open tender exercise. The total allocation for CERS is £4,500,000 spread over 2004-07.

  Forward Scotland is an independent company with charitable status limited by guarantee. It was established in 1996 with the overall aim of promoting sustainable development in Scotland through innovative practical projects and influencing policy. Between 1996 and 2004 ministers had a number of powers in relation to the company, including appointment of the chairperson, control over the memorandum and articles, ministerial approval of the corporate plan and determination of the level of grant-in-aid. The relationship was changed in 2004, limiting ministerial involvement to the offer of any grant-in-aid, as set out above.

  The company receives funding from a number of organisations, including grant funding that it disburses on behalf of others. Full details of the income received, the amounts spent on administration and the company’s programme of work are all detailed in the company’s published corporate accounts.